Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2016/17

  • Stats for Potsdam-Stuttgart are up now. Lisa Gründing with 5 aces and 6 blocks justified playing instead of Wiebke Silge today, Silge unfortunately hasn't made much progress in the last 2-3 years after being considered the next great thing among German MBs :S


    On the other side Stuttgart with very little contribution from the middles so the wing hitters had a hard time. Mlejnkova with terrible reception stats :white:

  • I think another factor is that Stuttgart's preparation is directed towards the Cup semifinal on Wednesday, so having to play two league matches this weekend was pretty disturbing for them and I think they weren't really there 100% mentally besides being physically tired. I'm sure Stuttgart will show a different performance on Wednesday.


    You were right - Stuttgarts players were neither physically nor mental up to the task against Potsdam. Although prepared specially for this week of hell with four matches in 8 days, this didn't suffice, because opposed to last season it was not possible to wipe away the VCO only with replacement players, so the plans failed already than. And the numbers show, that Potsdam didn't perform outstanding, while no player of Stuttgart showed normal shape. Together with the home advantage this was enough for Potsdam, to make full use of this situation. Especially Potsdam made nevertheless considerable more mistakes than Stuttgart, which was one thing I wanted to see in the statistics.


    So it is up to our visitors in SCHARRena, to help our players back on track against Vilsbiburg in cup on Wednesday and in league against Wiesbaden on Saturday, both matches, which will be no way easy. Finally we can only hope, that this was not the major disadvantage for us, which Schwerin can use to be on top of league table at the end of the season.

  • Dresden signs American MB Brittnee Cooper, and even though she for sure is a very good player, this transfer doesn't make much sense right now because a 4th MB is about the last thing they currently need, having only one OPP and three (more or less) healthy OHs of which one will leave in December. That makes me think that they have some more money to spend on another wing hitter as soon as a suitable option is available on the market...

  • Cooper is good offensive MB but I'm not sure if she is 100% health. She wanted retired after last season (because of her injuries). She said that she might play in Puerto Rico in 2017 (If I remeber right Gina Mancuso persuaded her to play there). And Maja Tokarska said in an interview that Brittnee Cooper was recently for few weeks in Japan. (So I think she didn't practise anywhere last months).

  • Dresden usually is VERY careful in terms of making contracts, so unless Cooper flat out lied to them in terms of her physical status I think she should be OK. They write that she's supposed to make her debut already this weekend...

  • Dresden usually is VERY careful in terms of making contracts, so unless Cooper flat out lied to them in terms of her physical status I think she should be OK. They write that she's supposed to make her debut already this weekend...


    Tactically speaking, this could hint to a change to more attacks over the middles, because there is too low attack power by the OHs. This system, mainly attacking via opposite and middles, seldom via outside hitters, was fairly successful some years in Münster. Because Dresden didn't find a solution for the OH positions so far...

  • Tactically speaking, this could hint to a change to more attacks over the middles, because there is too low attack power by the OHs. This system, mainly attacking via opposite and middles, seldom via outside hitters, was fairly successful some years in Münster. Because Dresden didn't find a solution for the OH positions so far...


    I can't see how Dresden could use the middles more in the offence until they improve their passing dramatically. And they have done nothing to address that problem.

  • if passing is good enough, then Cooper can be used quite often, she can be high-scoring MB what she proved in Atom Sopot ^^

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

  • Tomorrow semis in DVV cup: the favorites are Schwerin and Stuttgart:


    Potsdam vs. Schwerin
    Stuttgart vs. Vilsbiburg

    Both matches live on http://www.vbl.tv at 19.00 CET, Potsdam-Schwerin as TV production.


    I think both matches can be very good, I also see Schwerin and Stuttgart as favorites but Potsdam and Vilsbiburg are very strong teams too who can surely pull off a surprise on a good day.

  • Looks like there is a bit of dis-harmony in Stuttgart.
    http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung…18-bf39-f40c8f5bebcb.html
    Understandable that the coach didn't like the schedule and the manager thinks more about the travel costs, but why in the media?
    They could discussed the problem in a pub with some lager.Why does a trip from Stuttgart to Berlin cost € 4000 ?


    According to our sports director this is just dog's moonshine (nonsense) - don't believe anything, what author Klingofsky writes. Remember, that top priority of newspapers is, to sell newspapers, therefore sometimes sensational reports are written, which are not completely based on facts - to say the least.


    Regarding Kim Renkema - she is as important as integrating captain as as receiver, so her not optimum shape due to health issues is and disadvantage for Stuttgart.


    Finally a better news: with cleaning solutions company Kärrcher another sponsor delivering 100.000 € was found, which relaxes the financial situation noticeably, but still not enables CL participation, if the team qualifies.

  • Tactically speaking, this could hint to a change to more attacks over the middles, because there is too low attack power by the OHs. This system, mainly attacking via opposite and middles, seldom via outside hitters, was fairly successful some years in Münster. Because Dresden didn't find a solution for the OH positions so far...


    Wasn't Münster playing with a Middle instead of an Opposite as an alternative sometimes? I remember them combining different quickattacks with crossing etc... quite spectacular! Only works with a bulletproof passing though


  • Wasn't Münster playing with a Middle instead of an Opposite as an alternative sometimes? I remember them combining different quickattacks with crossing etc... quite spectacular! Only works with a bulletproof passing though


    We played 12 years ago such a system with Tanja Hart (S), Vesna Citakovic (MB), Andrea Berg (MB) and Caro Wensink (MB as Opposite i think). It was really nice to see balls from behind to the setter and only the decision short before the setter or short behind the setter. So many good memories coming back. :whistle: :drink:

  • We played 12 years ago such a system with Tanja Hart (S), Vesna Citakovic (MB), Andrea Berg (MB) and Caro Wensink (MB as Opposite i think). It was really nice to see balls from behind to the setter and only the decision short before the setter or short behind the setter. So many good memories coming back. :whistle: :drink:

    Nathalie Dambendzet was the second middle, not Vesna Citakovic... Vesna came later and had a not so good time here.

  • In the end two very different matches: after the first set Schwerin virtually destroyed Potsdam, while in Stuttgart this was like two different matches: Stuttgart in the first two very shaky, Vilsbiburg near perfection especially regarding game plan, since the third Stuttgart was clearly better and won a strange match - a typical cup affair. It is insane to compare match totals for this second match IMHO, because it was very different in those phases...


    Either way, we have the first and expected title duel of the season of the both strongest teams: Stuttgart vs. Schwerin on 29.1.. For predictions it is too early I think, and predictions are always difficult ;) .

  • Potsdam - Schwerin 0:3 (22:25 15:25 16:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2016-17/Women/&8112.pdf
    MVP: Ljubica Kecman / Denise Hanke


    Stuttgart - Vilsbiburg 3:2 (23:25 17:25 25:18 25:13 15:8 )
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2016-17/Women/&8113.pdf
    MVP: Wanna Buakaew / Keao Burdine


    Vilsbiburg's libero Saana Koljonen got injured in the beginning of 4th set, first they continued with their young 2nd libero but for tie-break Jonas Kronseder nominated Srna Markovic as libero.
    Kim Renkema was not in Stuttgart's roster today, any info why? Still/again health reasons or did the journalist from Stuttgart have a point after all with his article?